Photo shows the construction site of a Yangtze River bridge on the Shanghai-Nantong railway line in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/zjgonline.com]

The main span of the Hutong Yangtze River Bridge was completed connection on Sept 20, bringing the Yangtze River Delta in eastern China one step close to complete integration. When completed, it will take just 40 minutes to travel from Shanghai to Zhangjiagang

The 11,072-meter-long Hutong Yangtze River Bridge, linking the cities of Nantong and Suzhou, is designed with a main span of 1,092 meters, making it the world's first road-rail cable-stayed bridge with a span over 1,000 meters.

The bridge will have a 6-lane expressway on the upper deck and four railway tracks on the lower deck.

The track laying on the bridge will start in January 2020, according to MBEC. The bridge is expected to ensure the river shipping on the Yangtze, while easing the road and railway traffic pressure in the Yangtze River Delta region, China's economic powerhouse.